


Contingencies

by carolinecrane



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-26
Updated: 2010-09-26
Packaged: 2017-10-12 05:32:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/121348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolinecrane/pseuds/carolinecrane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spencer doesn't think much about his wardrobe.  Good thing he's got someone to do it for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Contingencies

_Everything you own is brown,_ he'd said when Spencer opened the box and frowned down at the thin purple scarf. _Thought you could use a little color in your life, that's all._

When Spencer suggested that Derek was the most colorful accessory he could think of, he'd found himself on his back on the bed, laughing and breathless as Derek's hands slid under his plain -- and apparently boring -- white shirt to dig into his ribs. But it was true; everything in his life _had_ been sort of bland before Derek, but now...well, lately everything did seem a little brighter.

Besides, it was a nice enough scarf, and Derek seemed to enjoy the fact that he'd pulled it around his neck before he left the house. He'd gripped both ends of it, at any rate, pulling Spencer forward and kissing him thoroughly before he let go again.

Derek gave him the scarf on a Friday night, and by the time the weekend was over he'd nearly forgotten it. He remembered at the last minute, picking it up off the dresser after he put his watch on and draping it around his neck. He was glad he did when Derek ran a hand up the center of his chest, straightening his collar and smiling his approval and Spencer didn't really understand why a little scarf made a difference, but he couldn't argue with the results.

Once they got to work it was business as usual, coffee and Garcia holding court and no mention at all of Spencer's scarf. He was a little surprised that no one had brought it up, but they'd all been preoccupied with teasing Prentiss, so it was possible no one had noticed. No one but Derek, and he wasn't looking at Spencer any more than he usually did.

It was easy enough to forget what he was wearing at all once they got the case; he didn't think much about his clothes to begin with, which he supposed was the reason Derek had taken it upon himself to start shopping for him. So his mind was on the case when he stopped in the locker room to pick up his travel bag, running through the details they had so far as he reached into his locker.

When he swung the locker shut Derek was standing next to him, leaning against the locker next to Spencer's and smiling in that way that sent a shiver of anticipation down Spencer's spine.

"Are you ready to go?" Spencer asked, glancing down at the bag hanging from Derek's hand.

"In a minute." Derek let his bag drop to the floor and leaned in, reaching up to worry the edge of Spencer's scarf between his fingers as he brushed their lips together. It was a risk they didn't usually take, because anyone could walk in on them, and it was one thing for people to suspect, but there was no reason to give them confirmation.

"What are you doing?" Spencer said when Derek pulled back, voice low as he glanced over Derek's shoulder toward the locker room door.

"I'm being 'warm' and 'demonstrative'."

"That was Prentiss' horoscope. Your birthday's in June," Spencer said, but he smiled when Derek laughed.

"Everybody could use a little warmth, Reid. Besides, you look good in purple."

Derek reached up to tug at his scarf again, pulling him forward for another kiss. It was soft and sort of sweet and over way too soon, and when Derek pulled back Spencer realized he'd pressed his hand to the center of Derek's chest at some point.

"So is the forward movement of our relationship contingent on the amount of color in my wardrobe?" Spencer asked, raising an eyebrow in an attempt to keep himself from laughing.

"The forward movement of our relationship isn't _contingent_ on anything. It's a certainty." Derek reached down to pick up his travel bag, then he cast one last glance at Spencer. "Better get a move on before Hotch comes looking for you."

Spencer laughed as Derek let himself out of the locker room, suddenly glad he'd packed the new purple shirt that had come with the scarf.


End file.
